Gioachino Rossini
' Gioachino Antonio Rossini' (29 February 1792 – 13 November 1868) was an Italian composer who wrote 39 operas as well as sacred music, chamber music, songs, and some instrumental and piano pieces. His best-known operas include the Italian comedies Il barbiere di Siviglia (The Barber of Seville) and La Cenerentola, and the French-language epics Moïse et Pharaon and Guillaume Tell. A tendency for inspired, song-like melodies is evident throughout his scores, which led to the nickname "The Italian Mozart". Until his retirement in 1829, Rossini had been the most popular opera composer in history. Tossup Questions # In one of these works by this composer, in D major, the second violins must use their bows to tap a quarter-note rhythm on their music stands. Another of these works by this composer opens with a loud snare drum roll followed by a soft snare drum roll, before a tutti march in E major. One of these opens with a slow section in E minor for five solo cellos. The closing themes of these pieces are typically introduced by a couple of instruments at a soft dynamic, to which the entire orchestra is gradually added as the dynamics increase, producing their composer's namesake (*) "crescendo". In one of these, a thunderstorm in E minor is followed by an Alpine "Ranz des Vaches" for the English horn, alternating with flute, which leads into an E major galop, known in pop culture as the "Lone Ranger" theme. For 10 points, name these instrumental pieces played before the curtain rises for The Thieving Magpie or William Tell. # In one opera by this composer, the title character oversees the succession following the death of her husband, the Babylonian King Nino. In another opera by him, the title character kills Orbazzano after returning to Syracuse. Those works, both based on works by Voltaire, are Semiramide seh-mee-rah-MEE-day and Tancredi tahn-KREH-dee. In another work by this composer, a character disguised as Lindoro tries to impress Rosina with the help of Figaro. Name this composer of The Barber of Seville who also wrote William Tell. # In one opera by this composer, a character sings "Deh, tu reggi in tal momento" and is accused of stealing a silver spoon. This composer, who described Ninetta in The Thieving Magpie, wrote an opera whose title character assists Count Almaviva in marrying Rosina and sings the aria "Largo al factotum." In another of his operas, the title Swissman sings the aria "Sois immobile" while shooting an apple off the head of his son Jemmy. For 10 points, name this Italian composer of The Barber of Seville and William Tell. # This man's first successful opera has the title knight kill Orbazzano in order to win back Amenaide. In addition to Tancredi, he also wrote an opera in which Ninetta is almost hanged because she is accused of taking a silver spoon, which was stolen by a bird. The aria "Sombre forêt" is sung by Mathilde in an opera where another character sings "Sois immobile" before shooting an apple off his son's head. An opera by him based on a work by Beaumarchais sees the title character sing "Largo al factotum" and assist Count Almaviva in wedding Rosina. For 10 points, name this Italian opera composer of William Tell and The Barber of Seville. # In one of this man's operas, Mustafa kidnaps the shipwrecked Isabella so that he can have a European wife. This composer of The Italian Girl in Algiers wrote an opera in which Ninetta is nearly executed for stealing a spoon. In addition to writing The Thieving Magpie, he composed an opera about a Swiss patriot who defies Gessler and shoots an arrow off his son's head, as well as one in which Figaro sings "Largo al Factotum." For 10 points, name this composer of William Tell and The Barber of Seville.